Metrics show huge jump in social media use

First, the Nielsen Company announced last week that internet users spent 17% of their internet time on social media sites in August 2009, three times as much as a year earlier.

Second, Forrester Media reported last month that 4 of 5 adults now use social media, a 46% increase over a year earlier.

What this means is that the customers of most organizations are using social media in large numbers. Thus organizations of all sizes should be examining whether and how to use social media to reach out to their customers online.